Carpet-washing machine



Sept. 21 1926.'

W. T. STRIDE CARPET WASHING -MACHINE'A Filed Feb.v 16, 192s S'Sheets-sheet 2 vono@ @o OQ Q o o oaooooo @0000. o. QOOQOCC c @ccoo c o c0000 oowonfoaoo@ .n

5 sheets-Sheet s w. T sTRlDE CARPET 'WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16 1923 W. T. STRIDE CARPET WASHIG MACHINE Sept. 21, 1926.

Filed Feb. 1e, 192s 5 sheets-sheet 4' ffl.

sept. 21, 192s. 1,600,655

W. T. STRIDE CARPET wAs/HING MACHINE me@ Feb. 1e, 1923 5Shee1s-shee1 5 Patentes sept. ai, reas S 'FAT entre WILLIAM T. STIDE, OF RGHESTER, NEW YOBK.-

CARPET-WASING MACHINE.

application mea February 16, 192s. serial N0., e19,49e.

. erative stations equipped with improvedv vacuum, scrubbing and rinsing mechanism and devices. A principal object of the 1nvention is to provide a machine of this, char-l acter'that -is relatively simple in construction, and embodies mechanism for first beating and vacuum cleaning lthe rug, then subjecting the rug' to Aimproved scrubbing devices having means associated-therewith for supplying automatically a suitable cleansing solution of soap or the like, and finally rinsingthe rug with'the employment of vacuum means in proximity to the rinsing station for drying the rug. A further object is to provide an improvedarrangement of parts and system of connections whereby all offthe operative instrumentalities are rendered inoperative upon the liftin of the vacuum nozzle. A still further ob]ect has to do with an improved mountbrushes of the machines.

Referringl tol the drawings Fig.'1 is an end view of a machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of one end portion of the I nachine;

Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged .front view i with parts in section showing an interme- V diate portion of 'the main operative elements;

Fig. 4 isa sectional view on line 4 4 of Figure 3; Fig. 5 is a detail cross section on line 5 5 of Figure 3.;

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation with an intermediate portion broken away of the first soap-discharge tube;

Fig. 7 is a similar elevation of the second soap discharge tube; l

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Fig. 9 isa transverse section on line 9 9' of Figure 7;

Fig. `1 0 is a. detail plan view 'showing a portion of 'the beater mechanism;

Fig. 11 is an end view thereof; and Fig. 12is a fragmentary section showing part of the feeding belt 'on line 12-12 of Figurev 2.

lby :suitable operative connections ing and means of operating the scrubbing Vof the column' portions yla.

' A suitable-housing framework composed of two` spaced apart side ortions is equipped in the lower portion t ereof with spacedv apart bearings 2, 3 adapted to `receive shafts 4, 5 respectively,ithe shaft 4; being driven (not shown). These shafts are vspaced apart a distance so that the'moving platform to be described, whichis mounted thereon, presents an upper stretch Sufficient for the proper mounting of the 'rug cleansing instru' mentalities thereover. The rug`or other fabric to be' cleansed is 'applied 'to and borne by .a suitable endless carrier mounted. on these shafts 4, 5; sucir endless carrier may within the contemplation of the invention be of .any suitable ty e, such as a canvas belt, but `preferably and as herein shown, it comprises a traveling platform mounted upon pairs of sprocket wheels 6, 'Z fixed on the. respective shafts 4,-5, thesel vsprocket lwheels bearing chains 8,'Which may be of the s'o-called link-belt type, the `pairs of these sprocket wheels being spaced apart on the shafts 4, 5 a distance corresponding to the maximum width of carpet or rug-for which the machine i is designed. These chains haveixed thereto the ends of plates or strips 9 which may be either of metal or wood. These strips 9 are provided with suitable means to holdthe carpet securely thereon and prevent slipping thereof. Such means may be of an desired type, but 'I` preferably provide t e surfaces ofthese .strips with burrs or small projections. This may be conveniently accomplished by securing relatively thin metallic plates or sheets 10 to the outer sides of the strips 9, these plates 10 having a multiplicity of small holes struck upward therethrough providing burrs '10, which project a small distance from 'the plates but not suficiently to interfere with the beating and cleansing devices to be described. The framework 1 has each side portion thereof rovided with an upright column l whic serve as mountings for a beam 11', the ends ofnwhich are fitted for vertical adjustment" in bearing ways -12 a, i

This beam 11 servesas a mounting and support for the operative instrumentalitiesto be described, and for this purpose is suitably recessed as will appear later. l For fadjustin this beam so as to bringk the beating an scrubbing ,shaft ldjournalled/ in the. framework and having a hand wheel 17 at the outer. end thereof. For clampingthe beam 11 in adjusted position, clamp bolts 18 are provided which extend through, and have heads eny gaging fianges 11a at the ends of the. beam,

these clamp bolts passing through vertically elongated 'slots 19 in the columns 1a and having clamping nuts 20 with handles 2Oa engaged with the outer ends thereof. The

intermediate portion of the rug carrier composed of the plates 9 is supporte-dby a suitable platform 21 borne by the framework to prevent sagging thereof under the action of the cleaning devices. The carrier advances the rug in the direction of the arrow A, i. e. from left to right as seen in Figures- 1 and 4, and the rug is first engaged by a beater 'which comprises a grid 22.. This grid is composed' of a skeleton frame 22a extending .the width of the machine with its ends having arms 22f7 extending therefrom, and with taut wires or thin strips 22c extending thereacross -at intervals longitudinally land transversely. The arms 22b are fixed in sockets of lugs 23a which are Vborne by ring members 23 that are journale-d to turn on hubs 24v borne by brackets 25 secured to the framework.' The arms 22b extend beyond the lugs 23a with their extremities engaged as indicated at 26' by one end of coil springs 27, the other ends of which are anchored to the brackets 25 an-d which thus tend to draw the beater down upon the carpet. The ring members 23 are provided with lugs 28 adapted to be engaged by short arms 29 fixed to a shaft 30, which is journalled eccentrically in the hubs 24. Th? shaft 30 is drivenat a fairly rapid rate by suitable `.operative connections (not shown) in a clockwise direction as seen in Figures 4 and 11, and the lugs 28 are so located on the ring members 23 thatthe arms 29 will engage them `to lift the beater against the tension of the` springs 27 at each rotation of the shaft 30, the length of the' arms 29 being such that whenthe beater has been lifted toa suitable extent, the ends of the arms 29 will Vbe vdisengaged from the lugs 28 owing to the ecoentricity of the shaft 30, and thus the beater bel permitted to snap back underthe action of the springs 27 to strike the carpet with a substantial impact. The carpet is next acted on byvacuum nozzles which serve to remove all foreign matter in the fabric which has been released by the beater while the carpet is still dry. For

this purpose suction nozzles 31 are mounted for vertical kadjustment on the front side of the beam 11, these nozzles being adapted to be operatedto let them down into' operative engagement with the carpet, or drawn upward to inoperative position at will by suitable connections shownV ascords 32, engaged with lugs 31a ofgthegnozzles, these cords being illustratively"`shovvtlas extending around overhead pulleys 32Nand downward to a position convenient to the operator. lt is here to be understood that these suction nozzles and the other operative devices to be described including the scrubl bing mechanism and the rinsing and drying means are constructed and arranged in ;a

series of units extending across the widthL-of the machine, these units having common power operating, and fluid supply connections. These operative units are preferably each of a width of about twelve inchesgfand they are so arranged that any number of Athem beginning at one side of the machine may be disabled and rendered inoperative so that the machine is vthus rendered adaptable for carpets or rugs of varying widths. Since these operative units are all alike a descrip;A

tion of one thereof'will serve for all. vacuum nozzle 31 comprises a nozzle extremity 31b of a width corresponding to that of the cleaning unit with which Ait is associated, this leading into an upper relatively larger tubular portion 31c which is slidably' fitted in a sleeve 33, which is 'connected with and depends from a suction head 34 extending across the machine and connected with a suitable source of vacuum generation (not shown), there being thus one of these sleeves 33 depending from the suction head 34 at the Alocality of each of the cleansing units.' Each of the tubular nozzle portions 31c has journalled diametrically therein a shaft 35 which has fixed thereon a wing valve gate or damper 36, which -when turned transversely of the nozzle is adapted to close the same, while when it is turned in parallelism with the nozzle as shown the nozzle is open. This -valve gate iscontrolled by a pinion 37 fixed on an end of the shaft 35, which extends outward through an elongated slot 38 of the sleeve 33. The pinion 37 meshes with a rack 39, which is fixed to the beam 11. Thus when the nozzle 31 vis lowered to operative position, thel valve gate 36 is automatically turned to open position, While when thenozzle is lifted, the valve-is turned to close the nozzle passage and thus disconnect the nozzle`from the suction system.v through the head 34.

40 indicates a .pipe extending horizontally relatively close `to 4the path of the moving carpet and directly in advance of the suction nozzle 31. This pipe is adapted to supply cleansing fluid, such as soap solution to the carpet, and for. this purpose it has a supply 40 with holes 43a therein which'in one position of the sleeve register with the holes a to permit dischargel of the soap. The sleeve 43 bears an arm 44 extending diagonally upward therefrom when the sleeve is in position -so that the holes 40a, 43a are in register and the nozzle extremity 31" is providedwith a projection 31d adapted to engage the arm 4421s the nozzle is lifted to turn the sleeve 43, and thus move the holes 43a out of register with the holes 40a to stop the soap discharge. lThe length of the arm 44 is such that the projection 31d remains in contact therewith at the upper limit of movement of the nozzle, so as ,to keep the soap discharge closed. Coil springs 45 are provided having a fixed anchorage 'at one end and engaged attheir other .ends with the tube 43, these springs tending constantly to turn the sleeve to valve opening-position so that the discharge of soap may begin, as soon the suction nozzle is lowered and the machine started in operation. lt will be understood that separate soap discharge devices as described are provided for each of the cleaning units, all of these however, ha-ving common connection with the overhead soap supply conduit 42 which may lead from a reservoir or supply tank 42 containing a substantial quantity of the soap or cleansing fluid. The

vdescribed provision for closing soap ports 40a may be utilized to shut off any soap drip at once after the unit has been rendered inoperative. l preferably provide individual manually controlled shut-0E valves 4ln in the pipe connections 4 1 which may be closed before the vacuum nozzle Vis raised or before the end of the rug reaches the first row of brushes. One or more scrubbing devices are provided for each cleaning unit, there heling two such devices shown for illustrative purposes arranged one in advance of the other in the direction of rug movement, though it is to be understood that it is within the contemplation of the' invention to use if desired,

only one such device or any plurality thereofl as may be needed or preferred for the-particular character of work. The beam 11 is hollowcd out interiorly providing two spaced apart compartments 11b, 11c opening downward Awhich have the respective scrubbing .devices and their 'operating connections fitted therein. -These scrubbing devices' are respectively. operated by shafts 46, 47 journalled in bearings of Iupward projectionslld from the beam 11 and driven by suitable power connections (not shown). ince these scrubbing devices are alike, the description of one of them will suiiice for both. A stid brush 46- of substantial thicknessl and of a length corresponding to the width of the unit is mounted in a head 49, which is slidably fitted in a socket 50. A spring 51 mountediin the socket 5() engages the head 49 to press the brush yieldingly'downward upon the carpet, while spring detents 52 borne by the `socket engage the lower edge of the head 4,9 to limit the downward movement thereof, while permitting the head to be removed by pressing these detents outward when desired. Eachsocket-5O is fitted to slide horizontally in the beam 1l lengthwise thereof, i. e. in a direction transverse ofthe direction'of carpet movement. This socket has pivoted thereto intermediate its length at 53at one end of a link 53, the other end of which is pivoted at 54 to one end of a link 55, the other'end of which is pivoted at 56-to the beam. It will be noted that the links 53, 55 together constitute a toggle which upon the application of a direct downward pressure upon the pivot 54 will act to press the brush socket 50 endwise and thus impart operative movement to the brush. The several brush sockets 50 bearing their respective brushes extend across the width of the rug or carpet and are reciprocated in unison by the described arrangement of links from the cams 61. For this purpose -the pivot 54 is connected through a short link 57 with a bar or rod 58 which is'fitted to slide vertically in bearings 59 of the beam and bears at its upper end a roll 60 engaging an eccentric 61 fixed on the shaft; 46, a like eccentricbeing ixed on the other shaft 47 for the other 'scrubbing device. For the return movement of the brush a compression coil spring 62 having backing against the top ofthe beam reactsagainst a shoulder at the top' of the rod 58 to nqrmally press presence of the soap solution or like cleansing iuid which has been delivered upon the rug just before it reaches the brushes from the pipes 40.

Means is provided whereby the lifting of the suctiony nozzles to inoperative position will disconnect the power operating connections to the brushes. For this purpose the shafts 46, 47 are made in sections corresponding to the several cleansing units with clutch connections between such sections, the prime driving impulse being imparted from the right hand` end/lof Lthese shafts as seen in Figures 2 and `3', li. "eL from the driving pulley 63. As shbvv'n, this driving pulley is mounted on the shafti46 and the shafts 46,

47 are. geared together adjacent this'driving pulley by meshing gears 63a. Ity will be notedthat in the opera-tion of disconnecting or rendering inoperative certain ofthe units. those. from the left hand end in said figures, i. e. at' the opposite side of the machine from the driving connections 63, 63, will be first rendered inoperative. For this purpose each suction nozzle 31 is equipped with a projection 64, which is adapted to engage one or the other of collars 65, 66 on afrod 67, which is mounted for vertical movement and bears at its upper. end a head 67a. The head 67 has a horizontal slot 68 therein which i-s engaged by a pin 69, which forms the'pivot of a toggle composed'of short links 70, 71. The link 70 is pivoted at its other endto a pin 72 slidably fitted in the frame work and having its'outer end engageable with a .lateral cam face 73 on a disc 74 fixed on the shaftsection 46 which actuates the s"rubbing unit. The other link member 71 `has its outer end pivoted to a rod 75 slidably fitted in the framework and pivcted at its other end intermediate the length of an arm 77. Une end of the arm 77 has a fixed pivot on the framework at 78, while its other` end engages a groove 72)-111 a clutch collarv 79 slid-ably4 keyed on the endof the section of theshaft 46 adjacent tothe scrubbing unit under consideration, on the side from. which the power isv derived.' The clutch collar-79 is adapted to engage a co-v operative clutch member 8O fixed on the section of shaft 46 pertaining to the unit under consideration. A spring pressed pin 81 engaging a lateral V projection` on the rod co-operates to insure the completion of an operativemovement of the rod 75 in y either direction.'V With this construction upon 1 the'moving upward of the bar Y67 by the engagement of the projection 64 Vwith the uppercollar 65, the toggle 7 0,V 71 which was before broken, is straightened or extended and the pin 72 is thus moved4 to the left as seen inFigure 3 toa position where the cam face 7 3 willengage it as soon as it comes opposite thereto and serve to press the. rod 75 endwiseto disconnect, the clutch collar 79 from the. collar 80, thev spring pressed pin- 81 serving to hold the parts insuch disconnectedl position until-l the bar 6 7- is again pulled downward bythe lowering of the suction nozzle which serves .'to'break the tog-- gle and-'to reconnect the clutch .as will be readily understood. The location of the cam face 73 is such that it will operate to throw out the clutch connection andv thus strip the brush when. the toggle 53, 55 is in Vthe position shown at the left in Figure 3, i. e., when the brush and its socket 50 ,is moved farthest.' away from th'e adjacent brush at the right, the purpose of this l being so that a disconnected brush head will to 'move downward as indicated in not bein the way of the adjacent brush head that is in operation. As already statedu the line of brushes 48', which are operated from the shaft 47 and their operating conncctions are the same as already described for the brushes 48, except that preferably,

and as shown, the eccentrics 61 which operate A them are'. disposed opposite the eccentrics on vthe shaft so that the scrubbing moveof this system are supplied by connections 83 from the overhead source 42 with individual hand valves 84. These pipes have downward discharge holes therethrough which are controlled to prevent soap drip by valve sleeves 85-fitted to turn thereon similarly as the sleeves 43, thesev sleeves 85 having holes adapted to register with the holes in, the pipes 82 in one position on the sleeves. The sleeves 85 are equipped with short fingers 86 extendingdownward and forwardly there- 4from and adapted to engage the carpet as it rpasses thereunder to hold the. sleeve with the holes thereof in register With the holes of the pipe 82` so long as the carpet is moving/thereunderlSprings 87 are provided with a fixed anchorage at one end and engaging the sleeves 85 attheir other ends tending to turn said sleeves so as to close the discharge Aholes as soon as the end of the carpet passes from under the fingers 86, so that these are ermitted igure 9.

88'indicates a system of pipes extending across the machine directly over the fpath of the carpet and in advance of the ront line of scrubbing brushes 487 adapted to discharge water or steam or a mixture ofboth, upon the carpet to rinse the same.

,One ofthese pipes 88 is provided for each vided with discharge ports 88b opening downward and they are supplied with steam or hot water from pipe connections 89 which,

as shown, include a flexible section 89a whereby the lowerI portions thereof with the pipes'88 may be raised with the vacuum nozzles 131. These steam pipe connes.- tions may lead through the soap tank 42a, as seen in Figure 2, so as to keep. the soap contents thereof well warmed and thor- -oughly fluid. Means is provided'for taking up and removing from the carpet or rug the rinsing -water together with the dirt and cleansing fluid. For this purpose a system of vacuum nozzles 131 is provided at the .forward end of the machine to engage the rug after it has passed the. scrubbingand.v

rinsing stations. f This system of vacuum' nozzles may correspond in all particulars with the s stem of nozzles 31, there being one thereo for each cleansing section or vunit with slidable connections into a sleeve 133 depending downward from a suction head 134. It may also be equipped with means 132 for lifting the same and with the valve gate 136 having connections 135, 137, 138,

'139`for operating the same, all as already nozzles 31 are lifted, and hence need not be further explained in detail. It is however, within the contemplation of the invention to provide suitable connections'whereby both sets of brushes 48, 48 will be rendered inoperative upon'the lifting of the final vacuum or drier nozzles 131.l I am aware that the invention maybe embodied -in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present einbodiinent to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than' to the foregoing description to indicate the scope yof the invention.l d

Having described my invention, what I ,claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A machine of the kind described comprising a carrier adapted tosupport a rug and move the same forward, mechanism for preliminarily beating and dry-cleaning the rug equipped with a vacuum head, and mechanism for then scrubbing the rug with a reciprocating movement equipped with provision for supplying cleansing fluid thereto.

A machine of the kind described comprising ja carrier for supporting and advancing a rug or the like, mechanism for scrubbing the rug with a reciprocating movement equipped with means for supply cleansing fluid thereto, a rinsing sta.

tion equipped with provision for forcing water into the 'rug after it is scrubbed, and drying means comprising a vacuum head mounted for lowering to operative position or raising to inoperative position at will.

3. A machine for cleaning rugs and the like comprising an endless carrier adapted to support and advance vthe rug, scrubbing devices equipped with means for supplying cleansing fluid to the rug, a vacuum -5 head mounted in proximity to said scrubbing devices for movement downward to operative position or upward to inoperative position at will, and connections from said vacuum head for rendering said scrubbing devices inoperative upon the lift-ing thereof.

4. A machine fory cleansing v-rugs and the like comprising a movable platform adapted to support the rug and move' the same forward, a series of cleansing units-arrangedy side by side extending across the machine, means for operating said units equipped with prov-ision whereby said units may be progressively rendered inoperative beginning with one` side of the machine. t

5. machine for cleansing rugs and the like, comprising a platform mounted for movement to support and advance the rug ito be cleansed, a series of cleansing units extending across the machine, eachv equipped with a suction head and with scrubbing devices, means'for operating said scrubbing devices, and rmeans whereby any desired number of said units may be` rendered inoperative at will beginning with one side o the machine.

6. A machine for cleansing rugs and the like, comprising a movable conveyor for supporting and advancing the rug, a plurality of cleansing units extendingacross the machine, each equippedv with a suction head for preliminaiily dry-cleaning the rug, means for supplying cleansing fluid, scrubbing devices, means for supplying rinsing fluid and a' drier suction head, operating mechanism for Asaid units, and means for progressively disconnecting said units from said operating mechanism beginning with one side of the niachine whereby; the working dimension t of the machine is proportioned to rugs of dilferent sizes.

7. A rug cleansing machine comprising a suction head mounted for movement to operative or inoperative position at will, a scrubbing device equipped with operating connections, and meansv for dsengaging said connections when said suction head is moved to inoperative position and for re-engaging' said connections when the suction head 1s' moved to operative position.

8. A rug cleansing machine comprising means for supporting and advancing' a rug, a suction head mounted for movement to operative or inoperative position with respect thereto, a scrubbing device and means for supplying cleansing fluid equipped with provision for control by the movementl of lmovement of said suction head, and the other thereof equipped with means for controlby the rug.4

10. A rug cleaning machine comprising a movable platform for supporting 'and advancing the rug, a suction head mounted for movement to operative or inoperative position'with respect thereto, a scrubbing device equipped with operating; connections, a valve gate controlling said suction head, means for closing said valve gate Avas the suction head is moved'to inoperative positiorn,

and means for rendering the operating connections to the scrubbing devices inoperative Leccese by the moving of the suction head to inopern ative posit-ion.

' 1l. A rug cleansing machine comprising a movable platform for supporting andl advancing the rug, means for supplying cleansing Huid thereto, scrubbing devices each consisting in a. brush head equipped with means for yieldingly pressing it upon the rug, and

operating connections including a toggle device for reciprocating said brush heads trans verselv ofthe directionof rug movement.

En testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification.

WILLIAM T. STRIDE. 

